A few years ago, Chevrolet Corvette loyalists could count on their beloved car fitting precisely into the same description it had carried for most of 70 years – rear-wheel-drive, gas-powered, front-engine, and beautiful. Today, only one of those things is predictable.
And it’s glorious.
Chevrolet today introduced an all-wheel-drive, hybrid-powered Corvette with 655 horsepower.
The Corvette E-Ray is as beautiful as ever. But it pairs a 160-horsepower electric motor with a 495-horsepower 6.2-liter small block V8 for a total of 655 horsepower and all-wheeldrive (AWD).
The electric motor powers the front wheels. The V8 powers the rear set.
Chevy says the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray will start at $104,295, including delivery fee, for the coupe, while the convertible starts at $111,295. The E-Ray goes on sale in 2023, but Chevrolet was not more precise than that on the timing.
An All-Weather ‘Vette
You might expect Chevrolet to pitch the first all-wheel-drive Corvette as an unusually grippy performance machine. But the company emphasizes the practical side of AWD, too.
The E-Ray, Chevy says, was “developed to be the Corvette owners can arrive in anywhere, no matter the season.” Chief engineer Tadge Juechter says, “The electrification technology enhances the feeling of control in all conditions, adding an unexpected degree of composure.”
We want a convertible Corvette for our next snow car.
Quicker 0-60 Than the Z06
But the E-Ray is a performance car, too. Chevy estimates that the E-Ray gets from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds – 0.1 seconds faster than the range-topping Corvette Z06. That makes it the quickest production Corvette ever, though it may boast a lower top speed than the vaunted Z06.
Rumors persist that a Corvette Zora supercar will appear soon to take that title away from the hybrid. It could be part of a new Corvette sub-brand that may include high-performance sedans and SUVs with borrowed Stingray styling.
The E-Ray’s hybrid battery sits between the driver and passenger seats, robbing almost no storage space. Chevrolet says the E-Ray gives up just 0.1 cubic foot of storage to conventionally powered Corvettes.
Stealth Mode
It’s not a plug-in hybrid with many miles of all-electric range. But Chevy did build in what it calls “stealth mode” – a setting that lets this Corvette run on electric power alone for short distances. The company says stealth mode works up to 45 mph but doesn’t say how far you can drive in silence.
The E-Ray is 3.6 inches wider than the base model Corvette, sharing the same body as that track-ready Z06. It rides on 21-inch wheels in the back and 20-inch models up front. Magnetic Ride Control is standard, as are the same carbon-ceramic brakes as the Z06.
It’s unlikely to outperform that model in the corners, though. The added weight of the hybrid system means it’s some 400 pounds heavier than the base Stingray coupe.
Clean, One-Color Look
You’ll be able to spot one thanks to E-Ray badges on the flanks and decklid. It also lacks contrast-color body panels around the vents, giving it a cleaner look.
An available body-length stripe in electric blue will set some apart, as will available black exhaust tips and optional carbon fiber wheels.
E-Ray buyers can select an exclusive interior called Artemis Dipped. It features “complementary deep green tones on nearly every interior surface,” Chevrolet says, and will be limited to the 2024 model year. Chevy also promises “multiple options for customers to select when it comes to personalizing their E-Ray’s interior, including two carbon fiber trim packages, three seat choices, seven interior colors, and more.”
